to think cheerleading in the UK is just .... bleurgh

[barbaraprim]

Was at the Ice Centre yesterday with DD and there was a huge cheerleading competition going on. Hundred of competitors and squads from all over the UK. It was not a pretty sight. Garish costumes, orange fake tan, bad make-up and ludicrously huge bows in the hair of girls ranging for about 5 to 18 plus. Anyone who lets their child take part in this "sport" should get their head examined.

[5Foot5]

"My mum would not let me join the drum majorettes (Cheerleeding in the 1970's for those born after 1976) "

Well your Mum had good taste taxiforme!

Actually though I think drum majorettes were different to cheer leaders as they did not involve any gymnastics just marching up and down in awful cosutmes and making the most god-awful racket with kazoos and those glocks on a frame (bell lyre?)

My beef against them is that they would get to take part in parades instead of "proper" bands. I remember there used to be a big miners' parade in Doncaster every year. At one time it would have all these splendid brass bands. But the last time I encountered it (late 1970s probably) the brass bands were in the minority and the thing was stuffed with thousands of little girls doing this majorette crap. That was bleugh!!

As far as cheerleading goes I think any objection I have had been based on the conceptual thing that others have mentioned about gorls just cheering on the boys who do the real sport. I accept though from the responses here that it is not really liked that over here so I suppose that is fair enoogh.

[bemybebe]

This is what was for me before this thread (still is to some extent) and this is what I do not want my dd to do.

[bemybebe]

and
glad these are not the only facets of this sport...

[SeaHouses]

My idea of cheerleading is this:

Although I think that school age cheerleaders are not allowed to do some of the more dangerous stuff.

[bemybebe]

that one is much better than my links sea and something that i would be very happy for dd to do (with proper training of course)

i was just trying to illustrate what i was talking about... i found your comment "you have sexist attitude because it is the girls who do it" hurtful tbh.

[SeaHouses]

I don't think you were intending to be sexist BMB. I think there is a lot of sexism around stuff like cheerleading and that influences how people see it. Part of that has been created by groups like the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders, who chose to remove the gymnastic element, make it just about dance and dress the women in skimpy costumes. As lots more people go to see male games than go to watch competitive cheerleading, it is groups like the Dallas ones that cheerleading gets associated with.

It is only because DD watches tween and teen films and programmes, including the cheerleading ones like Bring It On and Hellcats that I found out it was actually a dangerous competitive sport. Otherwise, I would have thought the same as you, because that is the way it has been marketed by professional groups.

[SeaHouses]

This Freestyle disco with all the tanning and emphasis on appearance does seem a bit extreme though:

[Downnotout]

Someone has been watching too much High school musical.

As someone said up thread, even cheerleaders attached to sports clubs don't sit on the sidelines and "cheer the men", they perform at half time or before the game.

With our group it's run by a charity funded by the football/rugby clubs to get children into sports. The cheerleading is very popular with young girls who can progress to the competition squad.

But DD only does it for fun as she also plays competitive hockey,and netball and swims for the school.

I had never considered it demeaning to girls to cheer on male dominated sporting fixtures. Maybe women should be banded from attending all- male sports events in case they get the idea that they are the weaker sex or something. Oh no that would be ridiculous!

[SherlockGnomes]

strandedbear you are smoking hot if you dont mind me saying carry on as you were. Oh and a for OP

[notaniphoneownerjustabadtypist]

It's naff but harmless, and a lot better than those child beauty pageants.

[Birdsgottafly]

My DN was probably at that display.

Just because there are bad exmaples of cheerleading, doesn't mean that all cheerleading is like that.

She has just switched from general dance, she did gymnastics when younger and joined the cheerleading competitions, which combines, all dance and gymnastics.

She chose to do this as she gets coached in all aspects of dance and is hoping to take this to some sort of career.

I don't know how to link to specific videos,or i would link.

It looks very similar to what diversity etc do. It is nothing to do with sport anymore, in the UK, at competition level.

[Birdsgottafly]

Seahouse- my DN does those sorts of routines and has since 10 years old,just on a smaller scale.

[Haziedoll]

I remember going to a football final at Wembley in 1990 and having my first experience of cheerleaders. They were young girls aged 16-18 dressed in very tight football kits, dancing provocatively including risqué bending over and thrusting their arses at the football fans. It was a family game. The men loved it. Cheerleading may be nothing like that and that may have been a one off but it tainted my view as it just seemed like another opportunity for men to ogle attractive young girls.

[Downnotout]

But as you say that was 20 years ago. Things have changed a lot.

[deliciousdevilwoman]

My DSD started cheerleading/gymnastics at 5 and now she is 20, still competes and coaches, professionally. Usually against other clubs. She has even been to the States to compete several times. What she does involves some quite impressive gymnastic routines-I was quite surprised, I had thought it would all be about waving pom poms and chanting support!

She is extremely fit-the training is rigorous. And she has a body to die for. Lithe, but with curves and great muscle definition.

Having seen what it's done for DSD in terms of fitness, confidence and commitment (I met her father when she was 13) I'd be quite happy for our own DD to take it up when she is older.

[muffinino82]

This is what cheerleading was for me before this thread (still is to some extent) and this is what I do not want my dd to do.

and this
glad these are not the only facets of this sport...

That is very although they're probably quite fit, in fairness.

This is what cheerleading is to me; I remember being very impressed with what they do when I first saw this (going on 10 years ago)

(ff to 4 mins then 8 mins once the cheerleading bit is over)

Totally factual documentary

[chocolatebuttin22]

Im shocked by this thread.... cheerleading started of as an all male sport and the yell leader as it was called then was a position that many males competed for. Women only joined when men went to war.

It then became a more female sport, but times are changing and more and mroe males are joining. Top teams have more males than females on them

Competitve cheerleading is what we mainly see in the uk, and would of been what the op would have seen. In America they have the same but also side line cheerleaders (non-competitive).

To say it is not a sport then you my friend are uneducated as to what a sport is. It takes alot to be a cheerleader beleive me Ive been one for 6 years and love ever mintue of it.

It teaches girls and boys alot, confidence, team work, trust, the importance of exercies and being healthy, brings people from all back grounds together, it demolishes gender sterotypes and they get to have fun :)

And the uniforms are amazing, some coaches to make bad choice. My current uniform is amazing black teal and silver, long sleeved top and shorts, more than a gymnast, tennis players, netball players, athletes but there acceptable just because our sparkly!!

I'm doing my dissertation on cheerleading, so have alot to say and am very passionate and hate people slating it, when they dont even know exactly what it its.

you tube topgun allstars (american team) or unity allstar (uk team)

rant over

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Interesting thread.
I've been looking for a cheerleading group for my DD to join.
She's a gymnast but got a bit meh and stopped going. I'd really like her to continue or find something (like cheerleading)

She's alot younger than the CL in the New York Nicks video.

SeaHouses video looks more like the style of dance that Diversity do.

I just want her to be a bit Toni Basil. That's not too bad is it?

[frankie76]

Yes someone I work with still does it at 29 - give it up love!

[chocolatebuttin22]

why should she give it up?

[CheerMum]

OP you are talking out of your backside. Cheerleading in the UK is a sport. That is why it is part of British Gymnastics.

I won't bother to go into a long explanation about how it helps girls become more confident or how it encourages team spirit and cheering on ALL the other teams, even if you are competing against each other, as I suspect your tiny Grinchy heart couldn't stand it.

My dd is a cheerleader, she is tall, slim and gorgeous. I am also a cheerleader, I am middle-aged and very overweight. Cheerleading in the UK is all about inclusion, about working as a team, and about having fun.

If anyone actually wants to learn more about cheerleading I suggest they visit ukca.org.uk/

[barbaraprim]

CheerMum - you weren't the woman at the Ice Centre wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the words "Cheer Mum" were you?

[zeegerman]

what bemybebe said.